Military

11th Marine Regiment

The 11th Marines consists of a headquarters battery and four artillery battalions. The 11th Marines is the primary source of fire support for 1st Marine Division in amphibious assault and subsequent operations ashore. It provides direct and general fire support to frontline units as required by the infantry commanders. The 11th Marines' organic weapon is the 155 mm howitzer (M198 towed howitzers).

The 11th Marines Headquarters battery, first, and second battalions are located at the Las Pulgas area of Camp Pendleton. Fifth battalion is located at the Las Flores area of Camp Pendleton, and Third Battalion is located at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms. The 11th Marine Regiment is the primary source of fire support for the 1st Marine Division in amphibious assault, Maritime Pre-Positioning Force operations, and subsequent operations ashore, providing direct support to maneuver commanders. It employs the M198 155 millimeter towed howitzer.

The 11th Marine Regiment was formed in January 1918 at Quantico, Va., as a light artillery regiment. The regiment went to France as an infantry unit, providing a machine gun company and a guard company. Decommissioned and reactivated twice between world wars, the regiment again served as infantry in Nicaragua. Reformed in 1940 as a full-fledged artillery unit, the 11th Marines joined the 1st Marine Division.

During Desert Storm the 11th Marines was a reinforced artillery regiment, tailored for the ground campaign ("task organized") by adding elements of other artillery units. the 11th Marines, like many other units, were joined by elements from the 10th Marines, 12th Marines and the 14th Marines to augment them so that would have sufficient artillery to perform the mission. The 11th Marines had only three subordinate battalions for most of Operation Desert Shield. Shortly before the beginning of the ground campaign, the 3/12 from Okinawa arrived and was integrated. A Battery, 1/11, and two reserve batteries (the H and I Batteries, 14th Marines) also joined the regiment. To optimize experience level across the regiment, the CO reassigned some batteries between battalions, since the late arriving units did not have the full benefit of in-theater training. It fought with five battalions, each having three or (in one case) four batteries. Most batteries had eight guns, mainly towed 155mm howitzers. The 11th Marines supported the entire 1st Marine Division that entered Kuwait from the south and moved to the vicinity of Kuwait City during the 100-hour ground campaign (February 24-28, 1991). The battalions and batteries of the 11th Marines deployed throughout the 1st Marine Division sector. Most directly supported a reinforced infantry regiment (for example, Task Force Ripper, Task Force Papa Bear, Task Force Grizzly, etc.).